The Hope of Dope?

October 25, 2017

Medical cannabis research and legalization is on the rise along with recreational use around the world. Many states here in America have either legalized medical use or it is a hot topic on many ballots. Society is opening its eyes on a healthy alternative to many medications that are just as harmful or dangerous as the cancer or tumor they are intended to treat. With the explosion of drug use and addiction in the US – some are still worried about the effects of legalized cannabis. Many are worried that marijuana use in kids can evolve into long term drug use and abuse of common drugs that kids abuse such as huffing or other drugs such as flakka.

Health Benefits

Health conscious people are seeking out more natural alternatives to pharmaceuticals. With research on cannabis showing positive results for treating many illnesses or conditions from arthritis to the Zika virus, the negative stigma surrounding cannabis is slowly disappearing. As people continue to accept cannabis more funding becomes available and more research is done on the medicinal properties of the plant.

With around 29 states with some form of medical cannabis program, patients who need a safer alternative have the ability to access medicine. Some of the conditions where cannabis has been shown to be effective are cancers, seizures, nausea, appetite loss, headaches, anxiety, and pain relief. Studies from the National Cancer Institute and other reputable research centers have shown that certain cannabinoids found in cannabis have the ability to slow, stop, or kill growing cancer cells.

Louisiana’s Medical Marijuana Policy

Louisiana recently updated its medical marijuana policy which previously only allowed LSU Agricultural Center to cultivate and research cannabis. Although there has been some form of medical marijuana program in the state since the late 1970s, there were no places to access medical cannabis, nor were there any doctors that would actually recommend cannabis for medical purposes. The state will now allow LSU and Southern University to cultivate cannabis and produce medical products in the form of oils, topical applications, and pills to name a few. However, like a few other states, any form of cannabis that can be smoked will be against policy. LSU Agricultural Center and The LSU Board of Supervisors have selected GB Sciences of Las Vegas to be the producer of high grade cannabis. Southern University has not yet selected a producer at this time.

Widely Used Already

There is a good chance that many of us know someone is either already a medical marijuana patient or someone that would benefit from it. In any case, cannabis for medicinal or recreational use is a much safer alternative for better overall health. Only in recent decades have we started to do scientific research on the cannabis plant. Truth be told, humans have been doing research and testing on cannabis for thousands of years. Even ancient man discovered the medicinal benefits of the cannabis plant.

Other Uses

Medical uses aside, cannabis and/or hemp has hundreds of uses and can be made into many different products including edibles. The entire plant from top to bottom can be utilized for its fibers, oils, cannabinoids, and flowers. Fuels, foods, clothes, industrial applications, and housing are few simple things cannabis can be made into. And growing cannabis or hemp does less damage to the soil than traditional crops like corn or wheat. The time of the stereotypical “stoner” is a thing of the past. Now is the time of the successful entrepreneur who enjoys cannabis and the toking grandmother using cannabis to ease her pains from arthritis. People are realizing that pot can help some and others can enjoy recreational use of marijuana while being successful in many aspects of life.